Double Date
by sand2
Summary: After investigating another robbery case with Demming, Kate decides to give him a second chance and go on another date with him, trying to forget Castle... but he's not one to be easily forgotten... especially when Fate decides to play one of its trick
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone! **

**Apparently, my mind prefers to think about fanfics rather than studying so here is another Caskett story. No case involved, just fluff. I'm not sure of the rating yet so it'll be K+ for now and then well we'll see. It won't be very long either. **

**Thanks to myrtillez for Beta-reading this!**

**A brief reminder : I do not own Castle or any of its characters… God knows if I did, I wouldn't have to study anymore right?**

When did her personal life become so complicated? Oh ya that's true, a certain Richard Castle entered her life.

She remembered with nostalgia how nice it used to be when she could relax outside of work before Castle was involved. Okay maybe that didn't happen really often but at least she used to be able to have dates without bumping into him.

It all started with that jewellery robbery gone wrong case. Two salesmen and a client had been killed, another two wounded. They hadn't been on the scene for more than 20 minutes before she had received a call that Detective Tom Demming would be joining them on the case.

She really expected it to be awkward and was nicely surprised when it wasn't. So when the case was closed and they were packing up evidence and he came to her, asking her on a date, almost begging her for a second chance, she didn't think very long. After all, Demming was a very nice man and it wasn't like she had a lot of other propositions… Well exactly the only proposition she could possibly be interested in wasn't about to come. So with just a glance over to Castle, laughing with Ryan and Esposito on the other side of the room, she said yes.

And the beginning of her date had been perfect. Demming picked her up at 7 and she actually blushed when he looked at her and told her she was beautiful. He drove them to this amazing Italian restaurant she'd been dying to go. He took her hand as the waiter showed them to their table. It was then that everything had gone wrong.

"Castle?"

"Beckett?"

A sense of déjà-vu rushed through her as she realized that the table just on the left from theirs was occupied by none other than her novelist partner and his ex-wife/newest girlfriend Gina. She had immediately turned to the waiter : "Would you happen to have another table?"

"I'm sorry." He answered with a very thick Italian accent. "This is our last one."

"It's okay." Demming said, oblivious of the angry stare he earned from Kate. "We'll take it."

This had to be a nightmare.

**Feel free to review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much for the kind reviews! **

**I'm sorry for the delay. I had to finish school so it kind of took over… I probably should have waited to start this anyway so my bad folks! Anyway good news is now I'm done and I've plenty of time to write! **

**Again, big thanks to my Beta myrtillez and a special thanks to Colleen, your advices are always so helpful.**

**Enjoy and review!**

For a moment, she really hoped that Castle would be discreet and that he would only care about his own date. She should have known better.

"I thought the two of you weren't together anymore." He stated, apparently surprised.

He perfectly knew they'd broken up weeks before. The look of astonishment came from seeing them on a date again. And if he was completely honest, he felt a little pang of hurt too.

"This is none of your business Castle." Kate snapped, not bothering to look his way.

She wanted to act as if it wasn't affecting her. The tiny little childish part of her that was still here actually thought that if she ignored him long enough he would just disappear. But the grown-up she was knew it just wouldn't happen.

"We weren't. But I was lucky enough to have her agree to a second chance." Demming explained.

"It seems it's the right period for second chances. Gina and I. You and Beckett. This could be a double date!"

"NO!" she and Gina said, a little too loudly as the restaurant grew silent for a second and some heads turned to look at them.

At least she wasn't the only one not feeling enthusiastic at the prospect. Kate noticed how Castle looked at the blonde sitting across from him with surprise, almost as if he had forgotten she was there. Gina didn't look too pleased herself.

"Maybe we should go have dinner somewhere else." The editor suggested.

"Please don't move on our account." Demming countered. "I'm sure we can find a way to spend a nice evening together."

Beckett couldn't believe it! Was Tom really expecting her to agree to some kind of double date? AS if Castle wasn't annoying enough during the whole day, she didn't need him to be shadowing her on her personal time as well.

"We are not spending an evening together!" she hissed to Demming. "We're on our date, they're on their date. At different tables. No connection whatsoever."

"I don't understand what's bothering you." He whispered back. "I thought you two were partners or something. I thought you were getting along pretty well."

They were. Except Richard Castle always acted like a spoilt brat who was absolutely uncontrollable most of the time, making her work a living Hell… and also so much funnier. Despite what she let people see, she liked having him around. Of course he never played by the rules and it involved a lot of complications with her bosses and a huge amount of additional paperwork but in the end, she found his presence stimulating. He was very intelligent and knew a lot more about criminals than she first gave him credit for. She liked how they would complete each other's thoughts and solve cases together.

But she wasn't about to admit that and, most of all, she wasn't ready to have Richard Castle know about it.

"It's not that… Can we not talk about it now?"

She quickly glanced to her left only to see Castle looking at Demming and her, obviously delighted in her annoyance.

There was something about her being embarrassed by his actions that he just loved. The way she blushed when he'd shamelessly flirt with her. The way her eyes shot anger when he'd cross the line… which he did quite often. Her eyes… They were such an open window to her soul and sometimes they would even let him see a glimpse of the other Kate, the woman behind the detective. He really wished he could get to know more of that person.

"Is there something I should know about?" the male detective suddenly wondered. "Are you jealous?"

"Me? I… No… I'm not…" She cursed herself inwardly for stuttering like an idiot. "You know what? I've had enough." She said as she stood up and headed straight to the exit.


	3. Chapter 3

She knew she probably made a fool of herself by leaving the table this way but stepping outside made her realize she had been right.

The cold breeze made her shiver and she then noticed that she had forgotten her black coat inside. She pondered for a moment whether or not she should go back inside to retrieve it. She didn't have time to make a decision as a warm hand reached for her bare shoulder.

"You forgot something." A male voice called from behind her.

She turned and her eyes met blue ones, looking at her intensely.

"You're going to get cold." Castle said, handing her her coat.

Surprisingly enough, he seemed very serious while he could be teasing her merciless. Taken aback, she didn't protest when he wrapped the fabric around her shoulders, getting impossibly close. She knew she was supposed to say something, probably be mad for interfering in her date and making it fail but deep inside, she knew it wouldn't have gone anywhere anyway.

"Kate? Are you alright?" Demming's voice seemed to appear out of nowhere. Or maybe it was just that she got lost in the moment.

She felt Castle take a few steps back as only cold emptiness replaced his presence.

"Tom… I… uh… yes I'm fine." She managed to say.

"Aren't you supposed to be on a date?" Tom snapped at Castle.

"Yes. I should get back to it actually. I just wanted to apologize. I didn't mean to ruin your evening."

Kate couldn't help but look at the writer, speechless. No witty retort? And apologies? He never apologized to anyone. The only time she ever heard him say those words was after he reopened her mom's case.

"Of course you meant to!" The cop snapped back. "I tell you, you better stay away from my girlfriend and leave us alone."

The guy was starting to get annoying, Castle decided. As much as he felt guilty for messing up her date in the first place, which he didn't have any good reason to (or did he?), this was just too much. Who did he think he was?

"That is going to be a challenge considering she's _my partner_." He replied.

"Come on! You're not even a cop! The only reason she lets you follow her like a lost puppy is because the mayor orders her to. Do you really think I don't know what you're doing? Damn I'm not blind. I know that you've wanted Kate for a long time. But guess what? She's mine."

"ENOUGH!" Kate shouted, loud enough for both men (and several pedestrians) to stop and look at her. "Both of you just stop." She turned to face Tom. "I am NOT yours! I'm not even your girlfriend, not anymore. This whole date was a very bad idea to start with anyway. And you Castle…" she looked at him, watching him swallow back a 9 year-old "I-just-won" smile. "You had no right to act the way you did. This is my private life and you better stay out of it or I promise you'll regret even asking to shadow me in the first place."

And before any of the two men could say anything, she walked away, angrier than she ever felt. She was happy that they both knew better than to follow her. As soon as she could, she hailed a cab and drove back home.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for all the reviews!**

**And finally here's the final chapter… much longer than the others. Hope you'll like it!**

By 9:30pm, Kate was back home, cuddling on her couch with a mug of coffee in one hand and a mystery novel in the other. She purposely chose Harlan Coben, another one of her favourite, replacing the latest Nikki Heat novel on the bookshelf… Almost felt like sticking her tongue out at her partner's picture on the back cover.

Her partner.

He was indeed her partner. When had he stopped being just a shadow, a consultant even, and turned into something more. A partner? Certainly. A friend? More than likely. More? She didn't dare to think about it. She did once, she had even considered giving it a shot. She had hoped the feelings were mutual because there was undeniable attraction wasn't there? But he eventually proved her wrong, showing up at the precinct, Gina on his arm, ready to head up for a charming little get-away in the Hamptons… trip he first proposed to her. Tom was right, she was jealous. Despite how annoying he was, despite how furious he could make her, he slowly crept his way into her heart. She, Katherine Beckett, one of NYPD's best detective, was irreversibly in love with Richard Castle, bestselling novelist.

If Lanie knew what she had just admitted, she'd probably have a fit.

But it was the truth. He certainly was a pain in the ass most of the time, but being around him during more personal situations, with his mother and above all with Alexis made her see a whole new layer of the man. With his daughter, he was somewhat responsible. And his overprotective side was absolutely adorable.

She shook her head. "_Forget about him Kate."_ But how could she when she had to see him everyday?

She tried to focus on the book in front of her eyes but soon realized there was no way she would be able to concentrate on the story tonight. She set the book on her coffee table and sipped the last drops of hot beverage before walking to the kitchen and leaving her mug in the sink. Dish washing could wait 'til morning, she decided. She should just go to bed and at least try to forget about this catastrophic day.

She was halfway to her room when she heard a light knock on the door. She hesitated for a second. She wasn't really in the mood to talk to anyone right now. She tiptoed to the front door and looked through the peephole.

It was him. He was looking down but she didn't need to see his face. She could recognize his features amongst thousands. She had decided not to talk to him, not tonight, until he looked up to knock again. A dark bruise was starting to form on his left jaw. She unlocked her front door and opened to face a very serious Castle.

"I wanted to see if you were alright." He stated.

"I'm fine. I think I should be the one asking you this question. What happened to your face?"

"Oh. It met Demming's fist. He was quite angry after you left. It seems I was the closest punching ball"

"Come on in." She said before she could stop herself.

She closed the door after him. Without saying another word, she went to her kitchen and took a bag of peas out of her freezer. She went back to the living-room and handed it to him.

"I'm sorry about Demming." She said, watching him wince as he settled the ice on his face.

"Don't be. I deserved it."

"That you did! You were really out of line!"

"I know. I'm sorry."

They fell silent for a moment. Castle seemed uncomfortable. He kept looking at her as if waiting to ask something.

"Castle, what are you doing here?" Beckett finally asked.

"I told you, I wanted to see if you were alright."

Obviously, he wasn't telling the truth. But she didn't care… or at least she didn't want to. She just wanted to go to bed.

"Well I am, so you can leave now."

"Ya. I guess I should."

He walked to the door, reaching for the handle only to stop right on his track and turn around to face her.

"Is it true?" he suddenly asked. "What Demming said? Is it true?"

"What do you mean?"

"About why you're letting me follow you? Is it only because you have to?"

"Castle…"

"Because if it really bothers you…" he interrupted her. "I'll stop you know. You only have one word to say and I'll stop."

"What about your research?" She wondered.

"I've done enough research to write 50 more books already."

She smiled when she recognized Esposito's words. They must have talked. Somehow she wasn't surprised.

"Then why are you still working with us?"

She knew the question was important. And so did he if she believed the look he gave her. He now was watching her with the same intensity he did a couple of hours earlier in front of the restaurant.

"Because I like pulling your pigtails." He softly said.

She raised her eyebrows, not sure of what he meant.

"Do you know why we, boys, love pulling girls' pigtails?" he then asked her.

"I've always wondered."

"It's a way to get them to notice us."

"Believe me Castle, you don't need that to g…"

She froze when he put a finger on her lips, effectively silencing her.

"Please, let me finish this." He explained. "You and I both know it stopped being about research a long time ago. I like working on cases with you. It's very interesting and it does give me amazing ideas for Nikki Heat stories. But most of all, I like working with you because I love being around you everyday. I love pulling your pigtails because I love you."

She gasped. She wasn't expecting such a confession, not now, not when he was with…

"What about Gina?" She asked.

"I drove her home after you left and we both agreed we weren't going anywhere together. She isn't the one on my mind."

He was so close she could feel his breath on her face.

"And since you haven't shot me already, I'm hoping the feelings are mutual."

She didn't have time to speak before she saw him leaning towards her. Her eyes closed out of her own will seconds before she felt his lips on hers, barely caressing before retreating. She opened her eyes when he brushed her cheeks with her thumb and looked at him.

"I love you." He repeated.

Her heart jumped again at the words. She had pushed those feelings away so she wouldn't get hurt and she felt them coming back, hitting her full force. For a second, she was overwhelmed by them. Her reflexes kicked in as she wanted to protect herself from possible pain, to keep those concrete walls up around her heart. Instead, she met his loving glance and understood that she didn't need protection anymore and she could almost hear her shield scatter on the floor.

"I love you too." She whispered back.

She took his face in her hands, kissing him fully on the lips. She felt him wince under her mouth when she hit his bruised jaw and she tried to pull back but he wouldn't let her. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands pushing her closer against him, as their kiss grew more and more passionate. She felt his fingers find a gap between her tank top and yoga pants and she gasped at the contact. Rick took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, their tongues starting a love duel. Desperate for more skin contact, Kate lowered her hands from his face to his chest, starting to unbutton the expensive shirt he was wearing. It was only when her back hit her wall that she realized he had been backing her towards her bedroom. She had forgotten that he already knew her place. They broke apart for much needed oxygen and she started to kiss his neck, trailing her hands on his chest. He groaned deeply.

"Oh God this is going to be good." Castle sighed.

Her mouth went to his ear and nibbled once on his earlobe, eliciting yet another moan from her partner and she whispered with her most seductive voice.

"You have no idea."

THE END


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